Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-04-08
A WONANS Wit.

a man with his senses about Nun
was smarter still. That she could
be detected in an instant, and tna1
whatever her purpose was she
showed it so plainly in her face
that no one could be deceived for a
moment. And that as she could
90 nowhere without attracting at
tentlon, and needed a male protec-
tor, whenever she did anything out
Of the common, such as taking a
Journey OF going out after dark, as
she never knew how to dispatch
parcels or messages quietly, and
had no idea of the hours OF railway
trains, or the way to get anywhere
or do anything legally, the man
who suffered himself to be outwitted
by her was little short of an idiot.
Ihave altered my mind now. l
have been the guardian OF Miss
Matilda Middlebury TOR twenty one
years, and l revoke all that l have
said. A woman cannot tie mp a
parcel, get to an unknown part OF
the world, cut anything with a
knife, or give a direction properly (;
but when she makes up her mind
to marry some one who Is willing,
old cloyen hoof and all his imps
could not battle her.
Miss Matilda Middlebury is a
young lady of twenty-five years. l,
as her fathers legal adviser, know
her exact age. Before last Thurs
day, [ had never seen her face to
face. Last Thursday | made her
acquaintance. 1t was in this wise :;
There came to me, per post, a
letter, dated Clemence Hill, and
written, as l saw at once, by some
person in a violent rage. Lines all
crooked. Letters any shape. This
is what it said to me:
CLEMENcE HILL, Saturday.
@MR. MARTIN,-DeGr Sir lshall
make no apology for troubling You
about a matter which you will per-
hans consider a little out OF your
sphere. should not make any
APOLOGY TO the king Of anywhere
for asking him to pull me out OF the
water if | were drowning. This IS
a life and death matter to me; you
must help me. Besides, you are my
legal adviser, and l want you To
take the law in your own hands,
That is all.
1Ihaye a daughter-Matllda Mid
dIebury. You have my will in bel
favor. 1t is possible that you may
have TO alter it yet; but that Is
neither here nor there. That daugh'
ter is now twenty-five years old
consequently Of age and her own
mistress. She has chosen to fall IN
love with a contemplate, good for
nothing rascal whom / have forbid
den her to speak to again, aud she
rs determined to marry him. She
tried to humbug me, the jade, and
promised to give him up; but l
have positive information that she
has resolved to marry him on
Thursday afternoon. All prepare
lions are made and the trunks
packed for a departure to Europe.
/ forgot to say that she is visiting
a friend at - street, New York.
"The rascal comes there every
evening, plays the piano, sings SEN
timental songs, makes love. The
other girl is IN the plot, and is
going TO be bridesmaid. And here
am with the govt in my right foot,
chained down at Clemence Hill,
without a friend in the world L
dare to trust save you.
"For Heavens sake, find me the
girl. Take her into custody. Ar
rest her. Do what you choose with
her-only don't lose sight OF her
until you bring her safe to me. l
don't care what it costs; do it. Pm
a rich man. Any bill will be con
siderd reasonable. You have the
undying gratitude ofyour old friend
in the bargain, of course.
"Matilda doesn't know anything
about law, and is awfully afraid OF
il. Remember, out of your sight
one moment and all is oyer. Thank
Heaven you never married and
have no daughter.
eYours truly,
J. Z, MIDDLEBURY.
rNo. street. Don't forget.
Lady by the name of Stark, wife OF
DIR. Stark, is the person she IS Wis
iting. J' l. M"
My friends, the man who would
desert his fellow-man under such
circumstances must be lower than
brutes. confded the business to
my partner, telling him that bust
ness of Importance called me from
home, and with a small carpet.bag
containing some linen and brush
and comb, walked over to -
street without further delay, and
requested to see Miss Matilda Mid
dlebury.
To five minutes she came into the
rOom--s short, plump, very broad
shouldered young woman, with a
turned.up nose, big black eyes, long
eye-lashes, and crisp, curly black
barr. Her color came and went, so
that one moment her cheek was
dappled with red and the next a
clear brunette tint. She had white
teeth and pretty hands, and l knew
by the way she looked at me that
she had a spirit; but l knew also
that women are ignorant Of law
and thought that ! could remem-
Der her.
"Siiss MiddIeburyi ~ said /.
"Yes, sir" said she.
"Martin-of Martin, Grub & Co.."
said !, bowling.